Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas met with the French owners of the state's dirtiest power station in Paris earlier this month amid speculation the plant could be shut down permanently as early as next April, costing up to 1000 jobs.
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The state government has confirmed Mr Pallas held private talks with Hazelwood's majority owner, French energy giant Engie, on October 4 whilst in Paris.
On Wednesday Premier Daniel Andrews refused to say what was discussed at the meeting. But it comes at a crucial juncture for the Latrobe Valley, with the government scrambling to formulate a community assistance plan ahead of a looming announcement.
That followed revelations in The Age that Hazelwood, which supplies up to one-quarter of the state's electricity, could be closed as early as April 1.
Previously a staged shutdown had been mooted, but a series of orders from WorkSafe Victoria requiring millions of dollars of new investment is believed to have convinced the company that the plant is no longer viable.
Mr Andrews told ABC regional radio that he "can't be drawn on the individual nature of that discussion" between Mr Pallas and the company as it was a "private discussion".
"Let's deal with the facts and the facts are no decision have been made," he said.
It remains unclear whether Engie has made a final decision to close Hazelwood, although in May the company's chief executive Isabelle Kocher said it was "studying all possible scenarios, including closure".
Sources have told The Age that a public announcement of the future of Hazelwood could still be some weeks away. Hazelwood has about 550 direct employments and 300 contractors, with hundreds more jobs indirectly linked.
